1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of receiving and transmitting antennas and in particular to the field of extendible antennas which include a hinge to position the antenna for optimal reception.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cellular phones, radios, and other like communication devices include an antenna to aid in receiving and transmitting a signal to permit clear voice communications. The antennas, in general, comprise either an integral antenna which is fixed and not extendible; or, an antenna which is extendible from its storage position within the communication device. In either design, the object is to achieve a communication device which is extremely compact in size. Compactness provides for storing or carrying convenience when the communication device is not being used and is, therefore, a highly desirable feature.
Ideally, an antenna should be positioned in alignment with the vertical regardless of the position of the communication device when held up to the head of a user. Obviously, a fixed, integral antenna provides no means for a user to adjust the position of the antenna relative to the vertical when being used. The reception of such an equipped device is, accordingly, only as good as that provided by the fixed design of the antenna. The user has no ability to attempt to improve the reception.
Prior art extendible antennas fall into two general categories. In one category, the antenna telescopes within the body of the device, but such that the alignment is fixed. The motion of the antenna is limited to up-and-down movement. In the other category, the antenna includes one or more telescoping segments attached to a rotatable base with a hinge connection to permit a user to angle the antenna in any direction. The base however, is otherwise stationary such that the antenna is always positioned outside the electronic device to which it is attached. This second category of extensible antennas suffers from reliability in that the electrical connection at the base deteriorates over time which effectively precludes this type of antenna from being used with modern day communication devices. A further disadvantage of this type of antenna is that the antenna is always exposed and, therefore, subject to damage.
To a limited extent, a user can somewhat improve the reception capabilities of a communication device having the first type of extendible antenna, above described. This is accomplished by the amount of distance the antenna is extended from its housing within the communication device. However, as noted above, this type of prior art extendible antennas only provide one alignment of the antenna relative to the communication device; that is, the longitudinal axis of the antenna is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the communication device whether extended or not. This type of prior art extendible antennas then, do not provide for the optimal reception angle of the antenna relative to the communication device when being held up against the head of a user.
What is needed is an extendible antenna which is stored within the communication device when not in use and is capable of being positioned at an optimal reception angle when the communication device is in use and up against the head of a user.